Roman shipwreck yields ancient cargo off Sicily
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Archaeologists recently discovered the wreckage of a ship approximately 2,100 years old off the coast of Sicily, Italy.
Italian cultural heritage officials and divers from the Carabinieri, Italy’s national military police, found the site after receiving reports from citizens. The shipwreck dates to between the first and second centuries BC, during the Roman period.
Divers located the wreckage at a depth of roughly 150 feet, where they found hundreds of amphorae, ceramic jars commonly used in the ancient world, along with lead anchor arms and other artifacts. Photographs show the numerous ancient jars clustered on the seabed, many of which remain intact despite being submerged for over two millennia. These amphorae frequently carried wine and olive oil, though officials have not yet determined the contents of the jars from this specific wreck.
Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuliano described the archaeological finds as “one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries in recent years.” He stated the shipwreck reveals information about the people, routes, and trade that made the Mediterranean Sea a meeting point for civilizations. Authorities in Sicily will conduct further research on the site and implement measures to protect it, as the Mediterranean Sea holds many ancient shipwrecks that continue to yield new discoveries.
Earlier this summer, archaeologists announced the discovery of gold jewelry on a 1,300-year-old shipwreck near Croatia, and divers off the coast of Turkey uncovered hundreds of well-preserved ceramic vessels dating back 2,000 years.
